Mobile devices such as notebook computers, tablet computers, convertible tablets, and so forth may generally be powered by an internal battery when the device is not connected to an external power source such as an alternating current (AC) adapter or a docking station. When an external power source is connected to the mobile device, a narrow voltage direct current (NVDC) charger in the mobile device may be used to down convert the relatively high voltage of the external power source to a lower voltage. The relatively low voltage output by the NVDC charger may in turn be used to charge the internal battery, power the display panel of the mobile device, power the rest of the device, etc.
Conventional display panels may include a voltage regulator (VR) that boosts the voltage output from the NVDC charger in order to drive a light emitting diode (LED) based backlight that facilitates viewing visual information presented on the display panel. While such an approach may be suitable in certain circumstances, there remains considerable room for improvement. For example, conventional NVDC chargers may encounter efficiency losses while down converting the voltage from the external power source. Moreover, operating the boost VR of the display panel at a relatively low input voltage may result in additional efficiency losses.